Windshield/ Window Cleaner & All Around Cleaner

[tevbax]

Refiring a 2012 topic on cleaners. 

There was a bunch of comments on Pledge and also Turtle Wax Ice Detailer. Whats everyone using today? 

I need to get some supplies together in the hangar to go smash some bugs relatively soon, and want to make sure i'm buying what works the first time around. 

 

[Roger Lee]

Composiclean or Cranuba wax for the fuselage. 

I have been using 210 Cleaner / polish for 35 years on  my motorcycle windshields and my aircraft. It is highly touted on many websites and aircraft sights. When I sold my CT the windshield looked brand new. It is easy to spray on and easy to wipe off unlike some (i.e. Plexus you have to wipe and wipe). It not only cleans, but polishes every time and anti static. They also make a polish 210 + which is thicker for deep scratches.  i highly recommend this product.

p.s.

Good for glass too.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=210+plastic+cleaner+%26+polish&crid=14C49EFACH8AF&sprefix=210%2Caps%2C179&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_3

 

[GrassStripFlyBoy]

For the airframe / prop / everything but the glass I'm simply using bucket of fresh water and a car wash mitt that has soft material on one side, and the other is a "rough fabric".  If you wipe down the plane as soon as you're back to hanger it's much easier to clean.  No chemicals required, just scrub them off, dry with towel.  Composite clean spray wax every so often to keep a slick surface.

On glass also use only water but soft microfiber, no matter what product you use don't swirl the motion.  Straight up and down in direction of airflow.  When still wet I hit it with a little spray Turtle wax with carnauba as part of the clean up with dry microfiber.  That was used for 20 years on my past airplane and glass was perfect, so I've stuck with it.  I'm sure the other plexi specific products are good too.  I like the smell of carnauba and creature of habit...

[Jim Meade]

I usually use water.  I have a bunch of old bath towels that I soak in a bucket of water and lay them over everything.  30 minutes later almost anything just easily wipes off.

For gas stains Brian Carpenter suggested and I use McQuires wax.  Don't remember exactly the variety.

[Anticept]

For gas stains, i use gas. It works!

[Towner]

How about waxing the airplane? Mine seems like it can use it. Is an electric buffer ok to use, or should it all be done by hand?

[Roger Lee]

Most waxes would work. I used Carnuba and yes I used an electric buffer. The big two handle orbital non aggressive type. Composiclean wax will work just fine too.

[GrassStripFlyBoy]

When I changed the N number the witness of old letters remained on pristine finish under them, to duller surface around them.  Used Mcquire's Scratch X 2.0 polish, and a wool (?) polish pad on drill.  I started easy and checked as things progressed, in the end I found I could lay on the force and speed rather hard and it took that to clean it up, the results were amazing.  I ran up to the bagage door area and back to tail, sweet outcome.  I meant to do the rest of plane, top wings could use it, but have yet to get to it.  Don't be afraid to use polish compound and electric tools, just start easy and determine how much you can force it.

[Anticept]

On 6/4/2022 at 1:05 PM, Towner said:

How about waxing the airplane? Mine seems like it can use it. Is an electric buffer ok to use, or should it all be done by hand?

I have a griot's G9 random orbital polisher. Random orbitals don't work as fast as radials, but you would have to sit on the machine to burn anything because the pad is attached via swivel, so if you push too hard, it will not be able to spin, only wobble, avoiding the burn.

The general recommendation for detail care is to rinse first (NO PRESSURE WASHERS EVER) to lift away the loose dirt. Then, soap and water to try and lift the more stubborn dirt but don't scrub, just go a simple pass. After that, spot treat anything that is left. Scrubbing is a last resort because dirt that you pick up can also be rubbed back into the paint or plastic, which means now clay bars and polishing compounds will be required to get that dirt out.

My recommendation for waxes are a ceramic wax. Do not use a ceramic wax until you have the aircraft spotless, a proper ceramic wax is no joke, it's a silicon dioxide polymer that will create a pretty strong, resistant coating. If you use it overtop dirt, you will trap that dirt in for months minimum. It takes a lot of effort, but once you use it, you'll only need to rewax every 4-6 months to maintain the coat. If that sounds like a lot of prep work (it is) then just use carnuba wax, you'll have to reapply it monthly at minimum to maintain the coat though.

Also, don't apply a ceramic coating over a carnuba wax coating; it won't last.

PS: NO ammonia cleaners either! A lot of plastics are not compatible.

[Towner]

While I try to keep leading edges, wheel pants and other bug catching areas clean, I’ve only done a complete airplane wash 2x in 2 years. When washing certain areas, it seems pretty obvious it is due for a nice wax job.  The wash jobs are done in a very delicate manner, so I’m not concerned about damage from the wash. Well, I actually do get concerned about water getting into the inside of the plane. I’m not talking about a puddle in the floor, but as others have voiced concerns, about water getting to areas that might cause damage. Is this a valid concern or is a normal wash and rinse safe for the plane?

[Anticept]

They can fly through rain and have lots of drain holes in the fuselage. Just use a low pressure nozzle on a hose like you're watering a garden and don't blast water into crevasses.

Any sitting pools of water may indicate a drain is clogged; you're most likely to see that in the cabin near the pedals, but you can also see it in the tail underfin, and that one is critical; you can get enough water in there to significantly affect W&B.

[airhound]

Sprayway ammonia- free glass cleaner, 2.99 at Tarzaaaaaaaa. Spray a Generous amount, because you can afford it, let sit a minute and with clean soft cloth wipe, not rub, the bugs off using up and down motion. Like the water method just drag the cloth. Redo if needed, because 2.99 per can, but don’t rub. Then use the wet cloth on leading edges….California Duster to keep the hangar dust/dirt down on the airframe.  FD USA recommended the Sprayway…

[sandpiper]

I've used lemon pledge on windshields for decades. If you use any other kind of pledge a build up is gonna happen which will be difficult to remove.

If a little bit of dirt is on your windshield, and no water is readily available, waterless car wash works well.When I lived in Alaska, where very few have hangars, I used this product on my C-206 for 20 years. Never scratched my windshield.

There does, however, come a time when water is the only solution to a dirty windshield. Even if you have to haul it from home. 

[sandpiper]

On the rest of the plane I have  used Composiclean products exclusively. I have never "washed" the plane with water. Well, maybe the front wheel pant and front of the cowling a couple of times. 

[Roger Lee]

210 plastic window polish / cleaner does just that. Every time you clean your windshield it polishes it. It stays scratch free. I also wash my cotton rags and immediately put them in a gallon zip lock to keep dust off them. Dust and dirt is nothing, but mobile sandpaper and it's a one time use and gets washed again.

[FlyingMonkey]

I use Turtle Ice spray wax on both the painted surface and on the windows.  It’s actually really good on plexi…it cleans great with less scrubbing than the 210 polish I also use sometimes.  It’s a polymer based product and not real wax so it doesn’t yellow.  The nice thing is you can throw one spray bottle in the baggage bay and clean the whole airplane with it when traveling.

[207WF]

Mother's  paste wax does a good job too.

WF

[DJ Todd B]

What kind of cloth does everyone use to minimize scratches?

[Tom Baker]

New micro fiber. I buy packs of 50 from Amazon.

[FlyingMonkey]

On 1/11/2023 at 10:57 PM, DJ Todd B said:

What kind of cloth does everyone use to minimize scratches?

Chemical Guys microfiber, you can get them from Amazon.  Super thick, soft, and absorbent.

[Roger Lee]

Food for thought,

I use 210 cleaner & polisher on my windshield. It comes off easy and polishes every time too. I'm a little careful with microfiber as some are recycled plastic. I personally prefer cotton cloth. I wash it and when it come out of the dryer it goes into a zip-loc plastic bag. This way no dust gets to it. remember dust is just mobile sandpaper. I use it once then it gets washed again. When I sold my plane my windshield looked brand new with no scratches because of the 210 and the cotton rags.

[airhound]

Roger what kind of motion do you use?

[Roger Lee]

One way only. Up and down. Used it on my motorcycle windshield that way too and it had no scratches. You shouldn't use circular motion. You shouldn't use paper products or re-cycled plastic cloth. They will have dirt and dust in them and can add scratches.

[procharger]

The paint on these planes is pretty tough.

[FlyingMonkey]

On 2/9/2023 at 8:32 AM, procharger said:

The paint on these planes is pretty tough.

It's hard but IMO it's on a little too thick and it doesn't have enough stretch.  I have a lot of areas of paint flex cracks all over my airplane.